The Mediterranean diet can help you feel less stressed and improve your mood

• New research shows that the Mediterranean diet is associated with a reduction in stress and psychological strain.

• Conversely, components of the Western diet, which include fast food and sugary foods (with a high glycemic index), were positively associated with negative emotions.

• The Mediterranean diet is widely considered one of the best in the world and is associated with numerous benefits, including improved heart and brain health.

If you've ever researched nutrition online, you've probably come across the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in vegetables, whole grains, and heart-healthy fats like fish. Its myriad benefits include improved heart health, blood sugar levels, and cognitive function.

Researchers in the field of nutritional neuroscience, which studies nutrition from a neurochemical perspective, have now found that the Mediterranean diet also seems to play a role in improving mood and managing stress. On the other hand, the Western diet, known for highly processed foods, red meat and foods with a high glycemic index, seems to exacerbate negative feelings associated with stress.

The results were published in the journal Nutrition and Health.

Lina Begdache, PhD, RDN, associate professor of nutritional neuroscience, registered dietitian and senior author of the study, told Healthline, “We filled a gap in the literature by examining the impact of diet quality on [the] Perception of stress.”

“Our results showed that the Mediterranean diet both reduced feelings of stress and increased feelings of eustress. [positive stress]. Whereas the Western diet reduces the perception of positive stress and promotes suffering,” she said.

Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, a nutritionist at the Cleveland Clinic and co-author of Regenerative Health who was not involved in the study, told Healthline, “This research is consistent with other research looking at Mediterranean dietary patterns and their association with depression and anxiety.”

She pointed out that studies such as AMMEND, SMILES and HELFIMED have all reached similar conclusions. They focused specifically on the effects of diet on depression.

How the study was conducted

The study involved 1,591 participants who answered a series of surveys and questionnaires on diet and mood. More than 70% of the participants (1,117) were female. Almost all participants (1,412) were between 18 and 29 years old, with some being 30 years or older.

The researchers used a validated instrument, the Food-Mood Questionnaire (FMQ) developed by Begdache, to investigate what feelings food triggers in someone.

They also used a standard measure of feelings of stress called the Kessler Scale, which asks respondents to rate the frequency of certain feelings such as “nervous,” “hopeless,” and “worthless” with a numerical rating. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), used since 1983, asks respondents how often they experience certain feelings, such as the ability to “control irritation” or whether things “went the way you wanted.”

Begdache and her team then compared how certain components of the Mediterranean and Western diets influenced these feelings.

Dark green leafy vegetables, a staple of the Mediterranean diet, were inversely correlated with almost all negative emotions on the Kessler scale. Components of the Western diet, such as fast food and sugary foods (high glycemic index), were positively correlated with these negative emotions.

In addition, many of the components that were inversely associated with negative feelings were also positively associated with positive feelings. For example, leafy greens, whole grains, exercise, nuts, and oats correlated with feelings such as “confident in dealing with problems” and “able to control irritation.”

“This suggests that these foods not only promote a positive attitude toward stress, but also reduce negative stress perceptions,” Begdache said.

The Western diet was not only bad either.

For white meat, eggs and even red meat, predominantly negative associations were found with feelings of stress and psychological distress, while positive associations were associated with positive feelings such as self-confidence.

How food can affect your mood

Nutritional neuroscience takes nutritional science to a new level by examining the chemistry and neuroscience of how certain foods affect mood, involving many complex biological systems and pathways, particularly the gut-brain axis, a direct connection between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain.

Inflammation, hormones and neurotransmitters all affect mood and are directly influenced by diet and gut health.

Serotonin, for example, the body’s own “feel-good hormone” and neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood, is produced almost exclusively in the intestine.

“Remember, 95% of your serotonin comes from your gut, so in the gut, the microbiome is responsible for helping you metabolize and making the serotonin available,” Eva Selhub, MD, a physician and author specializing in mind-body medicine, told Healthline.

Begdache points out: “Blood sugar fluctuations are the main cause of psychological problems and stress reactions because serotonin levels become unstable. Consequently, appetite control is lost when blood sugar levels drop.”

Stress increases the hormone cortisol, which can lead to weight gain and inflammation.

“A possible nutrient deficiency or an unbalanced diet (if following a Western diet) may promote prolonged cortisol release to establish a new normal based on the current nutritional circumstances,” says Begdache.

How to start switching to a Mediterranean diet

“A Mediterranean diet focuses primarily on lean protein, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, and low alcohol. It may also include fresh fish as a lean protein source, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These all have anti-inflammatory effects; we know that an anti-inflammatory diet has beneficial effects due to the gut-brain axis,” said Alyssa Kwan, MS, RD, a clinical dietitian in cardiology at Stanford Medicine who was not involved in the research.

Starting the Mediterranean diet can seem daunting, but it shouldn't. It all starts with small changes that should lead to more satisfaction at mealtimes, not less.

Selhub recommends the “80-20 rule,” which simply means eating nutrient-dense foods (like those in the Mediterranean diet) 80% of the time, leaving room for less nutrient-dense foods the other 20%.

“Instead of thinking about cutting things out of your diet and thinking, 'I can't eat something,' think about what you can add. Think about adding color to your plate: plants, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, lean proteins, healthy grains and fatty fish,” Selhub said.

“Start with foods you love from the Mediterranean diet while reducing highly processed and low-calorie foods. This can start with replacing white bread with whole grain bread or replacing nutrient-depleted snacks with a piece of fruit or healthy fats,” Kirkpatrick added.

The conclusion

New research suggests that components of the Mediterranean diet, such as vegetables, whole grains and nuts, are inversely associated with negative emotions and stress, while components of the Western diet, such as fast food and sugary foods, are positively associated.

The Mediterranean diet is widely considered one of the best diets in the world. It contains plenty of vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats (such as those from fish and nuts).

Not all components of the Western diet were associated with stress and negative feelings: eggs, white meat and even red meat had a positive influence on mood.

View the original article on Healthline